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The association of mother's malignancy with metastases to the products of conception is rarely reported. We present 8th case reported in the literature of oat-cell lung carcinoma complicated by an aggressive clinical course and documented placental metastases. Review of all published cases of lung cancer metastasizing to the placenta is also presented. A 44-year-old white pregnant woman at an estimated gestational age of 30 weeks presented with cervical incompetence symptoms and multiple tumors of 2-4 cm in diameter located in the subcutaneous tissue of the chest, including both breasts. The biopsy revealed a metastatic oat-cell carcinoma. Cesarean section was performed immediately. During the procedure, micronodular metastatic infiltration of the liver was noted. Microscopic examination of placenta showed clusters of oat-cell carcinoma calls within the intervillous spaces; no infiltration of villi themselves was noted. The malignant cells were morphologically identical as those of the subcutaneous metastases. The woman succumbed to cancer and died on the 16th postoperative day. Lung cancer metastasizing to the placenta is relatively rarely reported. In all cases only placental metastases were found; the fetus in all cases was spared. Only in one out of 8 reported cases outcome of mother was not fatal. It should be emphasized that not in all cases of maternal malignancy the histological examination of the placental was made Therefore it is possible that the incidence of placental involvement is more often than it is reported.

Clinical, histological and immunohistochemical findings in a rare ovarian tumor--strumal carcinoid--are presented. Neuropeptides detected by immunoreactions revealed the origin of tumor cells from the midgut. Immunohistochemical reaction revealed parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrp) in the carcinoid cells. After surgical resection of the tumor a decrease in serum calcium level was observed.

To establish the diagnostic value of p53 and c-erbB-2 expression, forty-eight cases of endosalpinx hyperplasia were analyzed. p53 protein and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein expression was examined using an avidin-biotin peroxidase complex method. The accumulation of p53 protein and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was used as objective evidence to support morphologic differential diagnosis of endosalpinx hyperplasia and early cancer. In all cases various forms of endosalpinx hyperplasia were seen. Only in 4 cases staining for p53 showed positive reaction without staining for c-erbB-2. In one case positive reaction for c-erbB-2 was showed and no expression of p53 protein was detected. It is concluded that immunohistochemical detection of the mutant p53 protein and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein might be useful tools in differential diagnosis among various forms of hyperplastic changes of endosalpinx. The presence of these markers may be associated with the risk of malignant transformation in various forms of the tubal hyperplasia.

To establish prognosis, histologic appearance and p53 and c-erbB-2 expression in cancer tissue, six cases of primary transitional cancer of the fallopian tube were analyzed. Among 45 patients with the primary cancer of the fallopian tube diagnosed between 1992 and 1997, we found six cases diagnosed previously as solid (undifferentiated) cancer of the tube. p53 protein and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein expression were examined using an avidin-biothinyl-peroxydase complex method. The accumulation of p-53 protein and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein were used as prognostic marker of the transitional cancer of the tube. According to histologic picture all patients were diagnosed for primary cancer of the tube with transitional differentiation. In 4 cases strong positive and in 2 cases moderate positive reaction with antibody against p53 protein was seen for p53 protein. No positive expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in membrane of cancer cells in our cases was detected. Presence p-53 protein in all our 6 cases deny the usefulness of the p53 protein as prognostic marker in primary cancer of the fallopian tube. Lack of expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in membrane of cancer cells is significantly contributed to better prognosis in cases with primary cancer of the tube with transitional differentiation.